Vodafone Qatar has welcomed the ruling by IctQatar, the country's telecommunications regulator, in response to the operator's complaint against Qatar Telecom's introduction of Virgin Mobile in Qatar in May. IctQatar ordered Qtel to change significantly how the Virgin Mobile brand in Qatar is represented compared to what was launched on 13 May. Vodafone Qatar said it's reviewing IctQatar's decision to determine if it can take further legal action in the courts to rectify the impact of Qtel's "illegal behaviour" on its organisation and shareholders. Vodafone Qatar will also carefully monitor Qtel's compliance with the new brand requirements and will report any breaches to IctQatar. Vodafone Qatar had said it saw Virgin Mobile's entry as a violation of the conditions to its licence and the telecoms law in Qatar. Qtel also welcomed the ruling and confirmed that the service will continue to be offered and available for customers across Qatar. The incumbent operator said that IctQatar rejected the core complaint from Vodafone Qatar, that Qtel's Virgin Mobile service was a third mobile service provider or MVNO. Qtel accepted IctQatar's recommendation that it should have been more proactively open about the concept behind the launch of Qtel's Virgin Mobile service in Qatar. The company may still face a regulatory fine, as IctQatar has referred the matter to the Office of the Attorney General for assessment of an appropriate penalty.
